My facebook status' have been reduced to Battle Sleep updates....You know you are a mother when.
We were up at the lake this weekend and Cuddlebugs nap schedule was all messed up. Most of which is my fault. Okay, all of it was my fault but at least I recongize it right? That's step one in any problem solving method is to recongize that you have a problem. Normally Cuddlebug takes a morning nap from 9 to 10 and an afternoon nap from 12 to 2 (give or take a 1/2 hour here or there) and then sometimes from 4:30 to 5:30 on the way home from daycare. Saturday the morning nap was non existent, she just didn't take one, refused to go down. Normally in the past I was able to get her to sleep by nursing her around 9am and then she would fall asleep I would put her in her crib and she would sleep for an hour or so. we would repeat this for the afternoon nap. #1 mistake I made as a parent so far was not forcing her to nap by just putting her in her crib when she was 5months and up. I fully admit it (Again see above, admitting it is the first step in problem solving).
She fell asleep on the way home from the store and slept for a good hour and a half maybe 2 hours, so we did end up getting a good nap in the day, but it was more accidental than anything.
Saturday night came, and we had a whiny, wide awake 9 month old who wanted NOTHING to do with sleeping and I was without a rocking chair. I tried swaddling, I tried shhing', I tried walking, I tried letting her play and getting her tired out. nothing worked! So I decided, Screw waiting until next Friday (after her surgery) to start our sleep training, I was starting tonight. Battle Sleep was on!
I took my little angel into our room where her pack n play was and we started. I fed her once more (because by this time it had been 2 hours) and gave her blanket and her stuffed puppy (Her lovey's) and put her down in her crib and said "It's bed time, I love you and good night". Like I actually thought this was going to work. I had laid her on her side (because on her back just pisses her off more) and she rolls onto her belly and sits up and wails.
I pick her up, put her down and say it's bed time. Again I have a flopping fish on my hands and she is now pushing on the sides of the mesh to the pack n play trying to get to me because I am sitting outside of it on the floor.
She screams, I pick up, put down, say it's bed time.
Picture the above scenario for 1 hour! and I mean literally one hour of Pick up, Put down (PU/PD), every few seconds. I think I did 100 PU/PD's in that time. Which I read about in the Baby Whisperer Book. I have to say it is really working for us. there were times over the weekend where I didn't think it would work, but it has been!
She slept that night until 12:30 or so, which is pretty good for us. Granted she didn't go down until 9pm but still.
Sunday I decided to try it again with her nap. The cabin was empty since my IL's and Mike were out golfing and she didn't fall asleep when she ate. So into the room we went. I set the scene, read her a story, gave her, her blanket and puppy and put her in the pack n play and said it's nap time. Good night Love you.
This time it took a total of 20 to 30 minutes of PU/PD, but eventually she went down and she slept for 1 hour and 15 minutes, which is a good morning nap for her.
The afternoon nap was more accidental because we met the IL's in town and had lunch and she fell asleep on the way home, but she slept another hour and a half, so all in all had a great day of naps.
Sunday night however she won the sleep battle. I got her down in about an hour of PU/PD, it was tough but I just read my book in the dark and did pretty well. I wanted to give up, but I knew the alternative was just me staying up with her and she needed to sleep so I knew this was best for her.
about 30 or 40 minutes into her sleep (which is almost a baby cycle of sleep) she woke up. I did PU/PD and she was out again (Just one time). We did this on and off for about an hour but eventually she slept until about 12:30. The rest of the night did not go well. I couldn't get her to go back down, I admit I gave up and brought her into bed with us, but she wouldn't sleep there either, so into her car seat we went. I know I should have stuck with it, but I didn't want to keep my IL's up. Note to self, don't sleep train when you are not at home, it's not condusive to getting it to work.
Monday naps were also not the greatest, but not horrible either. she slept about 30 minutes or so in the morning. I think my FIL (Bless his heart) woke her up without meaning too. But she did sleep about 2 hours on the car ride home from the lake.
Monday night we were in for another battle. She had been pretty crabby in the car on the way home after she woke up. She was warm, we were stuck in traffic, she didn't want to be in her seat any longer. I get her home, bath time, eat, wind down ,and she wants to play :) Of course she does, because now it's 7pm and it's past her bedtime, but she wants to play.
So we start PU/PD. Again this was about 1 hour maybe 70 minutes of PU/PD but you know what, it worked! She slept until 10:30. I went in at 10:30, did PU/PD and she was out for another 2 hours! That is probably the biggest improvement, was cutting out the nursing session at 10:30.
Last night (Tuesday night) was a different story. PU/PD after feeding and story was easy. I only had to do it 2 times and it was within 5 minutes. but 20 minutes later she was sitting up in her crib crying. Put the nuk back in, put her down and she was out. 30 minutes later same thing. we did this from 7 until 9. but at 9 it was the last time until 12:30. Yep she cut out the 10:30 feeding on her own. We were then up at 3:30 and 5:00 and at 5:00am we were up a few times, but each time I did PU/PD and at 6 she was ready to go for the day, but still not bad.
So far it's working,although with her surgery tomorrow I am not sure how tomorrow night will go, nor am I sure how tonight will go past 3am. I am setting my alarm for 2:30 because she can't have breastmilk past 3am so at least I can make sure she gets a feeding in. I might even wake her at 11 and feed her then too, but I haven't decided. if anyone can give me thoughts on this that would be great!
I have to say that it makes me feel better about what I am doing. I feel like I am not abandoning her to just let her cry (Because that doesn't work for me, but I know others and other kids that it works great for, all depends on the child) but that I am still being a parent and doing what's best for her. and what's best for her right now is to sleep and to learn to sleep on her own and in her own crib. I don't get good sleep when she is in bed with me and I can't imagine she does either.
So for this moment, at this specific time with her at this age, this is what works for us. I am sure it will change tomorrow or next week, but right now it's working and I hope it continues.
We were up at the lake this weekend and Cuddlebugs nap schedule was all messed up. Most of which is my fault. Okay, all of it was my fault but at least I recongize it right? That's step one in any problem solving method is to recongize that you have a problem. Normally Cuddlebug takes a morning nap from 9 to 10 and an afternoon nap from 12 to 2 (give or take a 1/2 hour here or there) and then sometimes from 4:30 to 5:30 on the way home from daycare. Saturday the morning nap was non existent, she just didn't take one, refused to go down. Normally in the past I was able to get her to sleep by nursing her around 9am and then she would fall asleep I would put her in her crib and she would sleep for an hour or so. we would repeat this for the afternoon nap. #1 mistake I made as a parent so far was not forcing her to nap by just putting her in her crib when she was 5months and up. I fully admit it (Again see above, admitting it is the first step in problem solving).
She fell asleep on the way home from the store and slept for a good hour and a half maybe 2 hours, so we did end up getting a good nap in the day, but it was more accidental than anything.
Saturday night came, and we had a whiny, wide awake 9 month old who wanted NOTHING to do with sleeping and I was without a rocking chair. I tried swaddling, I tried shhing', I tried walking, I tried letting her play and getting her tired out. nothing worked! So I decided, Screw waiting until next Friday (after her surgery) to start our sleep training, I was starting tonight. Battle Sleep was on!
I took my little angel into our room where her pack n play was and we started. I fed her once more (because by this time it had been 2 hours) and gave her blanket and her stuffed puppy (Her lovey's) and put her down in her crib and said "It's bed time, I love you and good night". Like I actually thought this was going to work. I had laid her on her side (because on her back just pisses her off more) and she rolls onto her belly and sits up and wails.
I pick her up, put her down and say it's bed time. Again I have a flopping fish on my hands and she is now pushing on the sides of the mesh to the pack n play trying to get to me because I am sitting outside of it on the floor.
She screams, I pick up, put down, say it's bed time.
Picture the above scenario for 1 hour! and I mean literally one hour of Pick up, Put down (PU/PD), every few seconds. I think I did 100 PU/PD's in that time. Which I read about in the Baby Whisperer Book. I have to say it is really working for us. there were times over the weekend where I didn't think it would work, but it has been!
She slept that night until 12:30 or so, which is pretty good for us. Granted she didn't go down until 9pm but still.
Sunday I decided to try it again with her nap. The cabin was empty since my IL's and Mike were out golfing and she didn't fall asleep when she ate. So into the room we went. I set the scene, read her a story, gave her, her blanket and puppy and put her in the pack n play and said it's nap time. Good night Love you.
This time it took a total of 20 to 30 minutes of PU/PD, but eventually she went down and she slept for 1 hour and 15 minutes, which is a good morning nap for her.
The afternoon nap was more accidental because we met the IL's in town and had lunch and she fell asleep on the way home, but she slept another hour and a half, so all in all had a great day of naps.
Sunday night however she won the sleep battle. I got her down in about an hour of PU/PD, it was tough but I just read my book in the dark and did pretty well. I wanted to give up, but I knew the alternative was just me staying up with her and she needed to sleep so I knew this was best for her.
about 30 or 40 minutes into her sleep (which is almost a baby cycle of sleep) she woke up. I did PU/PD and she was out again (Just one time). We did this on and off for about an hour but eventually she slept until about 12:30. The rest of the night did not go well. I couldn't get her to go back down, I admit I gave up and brought her into bed with us, but she wouldn't sleep there either, so into her car seat we went. I know I should have stuck with it, but I didn't want to keep my IL's up. Note to self, don't sleep train when you are not at home, it's not condusive to getting it to work.
Monday naps were also not the greatest, but not horrible either. she slept about 30 minutes or so in the morning. I think my FIL (Bless his heart) woke her up without meaning too. But she did sleep about 2 hours on the car ride home from the lake.
Monday night we were in for another battle. She had been pretty crabby in the car on the way home after she woke up. She was warm, we were stuck in traffic, she didn't want to be in her seat any longer. I get her home, bath time, eat, wind down ,and she wants to play :) Of course she does, because now it's 7pm and it's past her bedtime, but she wants to play.
So we start PU/PD. Again this was about 1 hour maybe 70 minutes of PU/PD but you know what, it worked! She slept until 10:30. I went in at 10:30, did PU/PD and she was out for another 2 hours! That is probably the biggest improvement, was cutting out the nursing session at 10:30.
Last night (Tuesday night) was a different story. PU/PD after feeding and story was easy. I only had to do it 2 times and it was within 5 minutes. but 20 minutes later she was sitting up in her crib crying. Put the nuk back in, put her down and she was out. 30 minutes later same thing. we did this from 7 until 9. but at 9 it was the last time until 12:30. Yep she cut out the 10:30 feeding on her own. We were then up at 3:30 and 5:00 and at 5:00am we were up a few times, but each time I did PU/PD and at 6 she was ready to go for the day, but still not bad.
So far it's working,although with her surgery tomorrow I am not sure how tomorrow night will go, nor am I sure how tonight will go past 3am. I am setting my alarm for 2:30 because she can't have breastmilk past 3am so at least I can make sure she gets a feeding in. I might even wake her at 11 and feed her then too, but I haven't decided. if anyone can give me thoughts on this that would be great!
I have to say that it makes me feel better about what I am doing. I feel like I am not abandoning her to just let her cry (Because that doesn't work for me, but I know others and other kids that it works great for, all depends on the child) but that I am still being a parent and doing what's best for her. and what's best for her right now is to sleep and to learn to sleep on her own and in her own crib. I don't get good sleep when she is in bed with me and I can't imagine she does either.
So for this moment, at this specific time with her at this age, this is what works for us. I am sure it will change tomorrow or next week, but right now it's working and I hope it continues.
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3 comments:
Being sleep deprived sucks! Its so sad when they dont want to fall asleep. Our little guy was the best sleeper for the last 5 months. Now hes teething and its awful! Hope it starts to get better for you guys!
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All I can say is, good luck! Sleep issues are so hard to deal with and each family has to figure out what works for them. On the one hand, I think our culture focuses too much on the need to have kids sleep through the night and in their own bed; it is foreign to many other cultures. On the other hand, everyone does better with enough sleep, and sometimes it takes several rough nights to figure out how best to accomplish that. I feel for you and hope things work out well, especially following her surgery.
I'm so glad your daughter is sleeping a little better.
My first daughter was a terrible sleeper and I didn't even attempt regular naps until 14 months! She was one angry baby when I let her cry. I didn't wait that long again.
Best wishes with the surgery tomorrow.
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